Square Enix has "discussed" ditching series' numbering for future Final Fantasy games
eurogamer.netFinal Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has discussed the possibility of dropping numbers from future games in the series.
Each game in the Final Fantasy series is individual — only a couple have had direct sequels — but Yoshida admitted this can be tough for marketing as some players approach the latest game wondering if the story continues from previous games.
«A lot of players are going to come in and they're going to look at it like a comic book where you have to read from the beginning to know what's going on now,» Yoshida told GQ in an interview.
«It's hard for marketing because every numbered title that we release in the series, we have to go into it like, 'It's OK, you don't have to play the rest of them'.»
When asked if Square Enix would ditch numbers entirely, Yoshida said it had been «discussed with the higher-ups».
«Maybe it's about time we removed the numbers from the title,» he said. «For example, you have Final Fantasy 14. You get a new player coming in and it's like, 'Wait a minute, why do I have to play Final Fantasy 14 if 16 is out?' Why don't we just call it Final Fantasy Online — just get rid of the number altogether, and that'll make it easier to understand.»
Ultimately, the future of the series isn't necessarily his call. «Whether Final Fantasy 17 or Final Fantasy 18 should have a number or not — that's going to be on whoever has to develop that game and whoever's in charge of the branding, so that's their problem, not ours!» he said.
Yoshida also noted that the series has endured due to each game being distinct.
«I definitely believe that because the Final Fantasies all have their unique character stories and settings, that's the reason that has endured for 35 years,» he said. «If this was like a
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